Carbureter.



No. 834,029. PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906. J. 0. SMITH- GARBURBTER. APPLIOATIOF FILED SEPT.23,1905.-

2 sums-sum: 1.

may/A.

mlesses.

I A llorvizey.

rulnonms rlrnzs cc, \usuuvaron, n. c.

UNITED STATEg rENT OFFICE. j I

JOHNC. SMITH, OF GOUVERNEUR, NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM -E. SMITH, OF GOUVERNEUR, NEW YORK.

CAR BURETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1906.

Application iiled September 23, 1905. Serial No. 279,778.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN 0. SMITH, a citi' zen of the United States, residing atGouverneur, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carbureters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in carbureters designed for use in evolving or making combustible gas; and the invention relates particularly to an apparatus of the class which is capable of being installed in or about a dwelling-house, store, or other structure for the ur'pose of generating and supplying there or carbureted air suitable for illuminating, heating, cooking, or for any other desired use. p h

The object of the invention is to provide a carbureted air-generating apparatus or plant portions of which are referably located in the cellar or basement oa building, the other portions thereof being disposed beneath the surface of the earth a short distance from the building,.or the entire apparatus may be located in any suitable outbuilding within convenient distance of the main structure where the gas is to be used.

A further object of the invention is to provide a generator by means of which a combustible gas is producedby mixing gasolene or a like volatile hydrocarbon with air in suitable proportions to provide a fluid adapted for li hting, heating, or cooking; and a further 0 ject of the invention is 'to provide an apparatus which is practically automatic- .in its workings, requiring but little attention or labor to keep it 1n working order or repair,

and which will produce a high quality of gas under a steady even pressure at a relatively small cost as compared with the expensive service provided by the larger public plants.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, 'forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my gas-generator substantially on the line a a of Fig. '2, showin' the manner of installing the apparatus in reference to a house or like structure. Fig. 2 is .a view in elevation, showingpractically all. of the parts of the generating device and the manner of disposing and connecting them. Fig. 3 is a view of certain of the working parts of the device that are located in the cellar or basement of a buildin as taken substantially on the line 0c x 0 Fig. 2. Fi' 4 is a view substantially on the line 'y y 0 Fig. 2, showing the oil-tank, operating-valve, carbureter, and other related arts, all of which are located outside the wa ls of the building and beneath the surface of the earth. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the liquid-measuring valve, showing the construction of the same. Fig. 6 is a central cross-section of the measuring-valve, showing the hollow plug or core in position to receive the oil or gasolene as it gravitates from the supply-tank. Fig. 7 is a similar cross-section o the measuringvalve, showing the hollow plug or core in position to empty the gasolene or oil into the carbureter. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the carbureter, showing the internal construction of the same.

Fig. 10 is a view in longitudinal section of the clutch parts employed in connection with the crank in winding up and setting the aerometer in position. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a modified form of measuring-valve, showing a double piston instead ofthe hollow plug illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 12 is a detail showing one form of pump connected to valve'in air-pipe.

In the drawings, 2 represents a corner of a cellar or basement of a dwelling-house or like structure.

3 is the foundation-walls, and 4 is the cellar or basement floor. 5 is an aerometer or air-tank which is located on said floor inside said walls, and is preferably constructed in the manner similar tanks of the class are made for employment in making carbureted air and comprises the cylindrical base 6, having an open top and closedbottom and which is nearly filled with the water 6, and the cylinder 7, which is closed at its upper end, the lower end being 0 en and immersed in the water of art 6. 11 opening is provided in the top 0 the part 7 substantially in the cenvalve is intended to open during the raising of the inverted cylinder 7 for the pur ose of admitting air into the tank 5 and t en to Fig. 9 illustrates detail views of the conical shelves of the carbureter. I

ter, in which the valve 8 is disposed. This close and remain in that position to prevent the escape of the air during the travel of said cylinder to its lower position in the part 6.

In order to effect the raising of cylinder 7 out of the water the required height for the purpose of filling it with air, I provide the strap 9, which is fastened to the top of cylinder 7, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to which is secured the sprocket-chain 10. This chain extends thence upwardly and connects with the [o sprocket-wheel 11, by means of which it is operated. The wheel 11 is made rigid on the shaft 12, Which operates in the hangers or brackets 13, secured to the basement 14. 15

represents a pulley or like part, also secured r 5 to the ceiling 14:, having its axis disposed parallel with the shaft 12 and its sheave or roller in line with sprocket-wheel 11. This pulley is merely an idler provided to support and carry chain 10 laterally from the center .of tank 5 far enough to permit the weight A, attached to the free end of said chain, to travel up and down clear of said tank. The weight A is intended only to be heavy enough to stretch the chain and prevent it from sag- 2 5 .ging between the wheel 1 1 and pulley 15. In this manner I provide for the even downward travel of cylinder 7, and therefore obtain a steady flow of air from said tank or meter to other parts of the device.

16 represents a second sprocketwheel mounted u on the outer end of shaft 12 and rotates wit said shaft. This wheel is employed for operating sprocket-chain 17, which extends downwardly to a point near the cel- 3 5 'lar-floor, where it connects with a small sprocket-wheel 18, which is mounted upon and operates with the clutch member 19.

Crank 20 is also rigidly attached to part 19 and, is for the purpose of operating the sprockets and chains referred to by hand.

when it is desired to elevate and fill tank 7 with air. The clutch part 19 is in the form of a sleeve or tube-like part mounted loosely upon shaft 21. The inner end of part 19 is provided with a series of clutch-teeth 22,

which are adapted to engage the oppositelyformed teeth 22 of the sleeved part 23, which is secured to the shaft 21 by the pin 23. It

will be seen by reference to the drawings that 5o,.when the part 19 is rotated by means of crank20 in the. direction to cause the raising of cylinder 7 the teeth 22 and 22 will become disengaged, the former slipping by the latter by reason of a slight longitudinal movement 5 5 or play allowed to the part 19 on shaft 21, and

that when part 19 is operated in the opposite direction, as when rotated by the gravitation or settling of cylinder 7 into the waterfilled part 6, said teeth interfit and lock and vareheld in such position by means of the spring 24, disposed on the outer end of shaft 21 which is held in place by the nut 25 and which exerts its tension against a shoulder formed inside the hollow member 1 9. This lat- 6; ter feature is provided for the purpose of per- Initting the winding up of the aerometer without disturbing the valve 26, through which the oil or gasolene is admitted into the carbureter. The valve 26 is connected with the outer end of shaft 21, which extends through the cellar-wall at B, and is intended to be operated by said shaft in but one direction only, as described above. Valve 26 is placed between the oil or gasolene tank 27 and the car- 'bureter 28, the preferred disposition of these parts being as shown in the drawings. The said. valve, tank, and carbureter are connected by means of the ordinary )ipe-iittings common to apparatus of the class. Feed pipe 29, which serves as the duct or passage through which the gasolene or oil flows from the supply-tank 27 to valve 26, enters the tank near' its bottom, thereby insuring the draining of said tank. This then extends outwardly a short distance and connects with the vertically-disposed pipe 30 just above the valve 26, the latter pipe being connected at its lower end with the casing of valve 26, its upper end extending to a point a short distance above the top of the tank 27. The pipe 30 is employed as a vent to insure the free flow of the oil or liquidv from tank 27 into valve 26. The upper end of pipe 30 is provided with a )erforated cap or cover 31 for the purpose of emitting or permitting the escape of alr and at the same time excluding dirt. The gasolene or oil tank 27 is intended to be of suflicient capacity to hold one or two barrels of the oil, and it is supported in position by suitable curbing or other like means. It is provided on its up er side with the filling tube or part 33, whici extends up through the earth, its upper end being formed like a funnel to facilitate pouring the oil into the tank, and the mouth of the funnel is provided with a tight-fitting cap or cover 34 to prevent waste of the liquid by evaporation and also to prevent the admission of foreign substances.

The object of the aerometer is to provide, under a suitable ressure, a supply of air to the carbureter, w lele it mingles with and assists in the vaporization of the gasolene or other volatile fluid which is employed in making the gas. In order to conduct the air from the aerometer into the carbureter, the pipe 35 is provided. This pipe connects with the bottom of the carbureter and extends thence upwardly on the outside of the basement-wall to a point about on a level of the aerometer, then through said wall at 37 and into the cellar or basement a short distance, thence downwardly to the floor of the cellar, where it enters the aerometer at the point marked 36. After entering the aerometer said pipe is bent upwardly again and extends to a height several inches above the surface of the water in cylinder 6. Under this arrangement the air in cylinder 7 has but one way of escape, and that is through pipe 35, which through said wall at 41.

' end of which is connected wit the bottomof leads to and connects with the bottom of the any purpose.

.shown .in Fig. 12, which may be attached to 1 ment of the building is supported in'the bear- .ity and through which said liqui carbureter. The valve 38, connected with the air-pipe 35,-is provided for shutting off the flow of air from the aerometer, to the carbureter whenever such action is required for 39 represents a pipe employed to conduct the gas from the carbureter into the building for use in lighting, heating, or cooking. This pipe at its lower end is preferably connected at 40 with the narrow neck of the carbureter. The pipe 39 extends upwardly outside the cellar-wall to a point about on a level with the top of the gasolene-tank 27, thence in a horizontal line into the building, passing 42 is an escape or return ipe, the lower the carbureter, the upper end bein extended slightly above the top of the oi -tank 27, where it is inserted into a funnel-shaped tube 43, connected to the upper side of the said tank. A valve or cook 44 is disposedin the said pipe 42, whichis provided with the handle or lever 45, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, to which is connected the operating-rod 46. This rod preferably extends horizontally from said. valve through the wallof the building, and its innerend 1s. fitted with a .T-head 47 for use in operating the rod and said valve provide a means of expelling orfor'cing back into the supply-tank 27 any surplus gasolene oroil which may accumulate in thebottom of the carbureter. In order to force the oil from the carbureter, the person attending the plant will first open valve 44, (which during the operation of the generator is intended to be kept closed,) and close the valve 38', attached t0 the air-pipe .35, then by means of a bicycle-pump or other form of compressor, as

the small valve48, also in said pi e 35, a pressure of air may be sent through t e overflow-pipe 42 into tank 27. After this has been done valve 44 will-be closedand valve '38 opened, so as to permit of the generation .of the gas as before.

Shaft 21 where it projects into the baseing-bracket 49, which is secured to the wall or the floor in'any suitable manner.

Valve 26, as fully illustrated in the sectional views Figs. 5,6, and 7, consists of the casing or shell 50, into which the hollow lug or core 51 is rotatably fitted. The ho low space within said plug is rovided with but one opening or vent 52, t rough which the gasolene or oil flows to fill said s ace or cavd flows when it is discharged therefrom. The plug or core 51 is held in position in said casing by means of the flange 53 which is formed on the head of theplug, .and also by the nut 54, which is secured to the other end of said plug in the same manner as other like valves are fitted.

55 represents an opening or port in the upper side of the casing 50, through which the oil flows from the tank 27 into said valve-plug, and 56 represents a similar opening or port formed in thelower side of the casing50, through which the oil flows when emptied from the plug into the carbureter. It is in- .tended in practice to provide a core or In for valve 26 with a cavity which will old from three to five cubic inches of liquid, owing to the size of the plant and the quantity of gas consumed in or about a building. The size of said hollow space being fixed, the exact amount of oil or gasolene which is delivered to the carbureter can readily be ascertained, and under this arrangement there is P1110? tically no chance of supplying more gasolene to the carbureter than is required to make a given quantity of as. The valve 26 is intended to be rotate in but one direction during the operation of the generator, and the hollow'plug or core will then be filled with the oil from the tank 27 and discharge the same into the carbureteronce each revolution of the plugand shaft 21 and by provid- .ing the sprockets 1.6 and 18 in suitable proportions as to diameter and by gaging the descent or gravitation of the compressingcylinder 7 of the aerometer together with the arran ement of the other working parts, as descri ed, the apparatus is capable of evolving and supplying carbureted air in any desired quantity. The more gas burned or used the faster will be the downward travel of cylinder 7, the more frequent will be the revolutions of the measuring-valve 26, and the greater quantity of gasolene or oil will be delivered by' said valve to the carbureter. Under the arrangement and construction as shown and described my generator will accom lish the mixing of the air with the volatile ydrocarbon in substantially the same proportions at all times, and if care be taken at the time of installing and regulating the apparatus or plant to provide for the proper proportions of the several elements which are combined to produce the combustible carbureted air there can thereafter be no ap-' preciable variation in the quality of the product of the machine.

62 represents the curbing which forms the inner lining or walls of the underground compartment in which a portion of the generating system is located. This curbing may be constructed of wood, brick, or any material suitable for holding back the earth from contact with the working parts of the device. The preferred depth at which this part of the plant is placed is about six feet. The shaded border 63 represents the earth.

Fig. 8 of the drawings shows a sectional view of the carbureter 28, in which 64 represents the cylindrical casing, 65 the bottom,

&

an'd'66' the' conical topor head, which is provided with the narrow neck part 67 to which the measuring-valve '26 is connected by means of the tube 68. The gas-pipe 39 is also connected with this neck part in the manner shown. The tube 68, which forms the connection between valve 26 and the neck of.

the carbureter, extends downwardly inside the conical cap 66 several inches and is fitted on its lower end with the cup-like part 69,

which is closed at the bottom and is provided around its upper end with the perforations- 7O. The object ofthis cup is to provide a sort of retainer for the gasolene or oil which is discharged from the valve 26. allowing the oil to fall directly from the discharge tube 68 into the main part of the carbureter it is caught by this cup, and when the latter becomes filledthe gasolene will-escape or be discharged through the several perforations 70 and be delivered to the carbureter in a series of small streams or a semispray,.

thus facilitating the aeration of the oil, which is essential in the generation of the gas. and 72 represent aseries of conical shelves whichare disposed inside the carbureter in the manner shown in Fig. 8. These shelves are circular in form, as shown in 9.

Shelf 71 comes to a point at its center, which is closed, and is provided around its outer edge with the semicircular openings 73 ,whieh are for the purpose of admitting currents of. air rising from the bottom of the carbureter.

The shelf 7 2is also circular in form and has a circular opening at its center, and around, the edges ofthis opening are arranged a series of semicircular openings 74, which are placed there for the same purpose as the The upper surface openings 73 in shelf 71. of each of the shelves 71 and 7 2,'except where the openings 73 and 74 occurs, is overlaid with an absorbent material 75,. preferably consisting of a layer of asbestos about onefourth of an inch in thickness- The object in employing the asbestosis to provide for the partial absorption of the gasolene or oil as it comes from the valve 26 for the purpose of holding it for a considerable time and spreading it over a large surface in order to cause a more perfect evaporation and aera-.

tion of the liquid. Without the asbestos or a like substance disposed as shown herein the oil would gravitate very quicklyto the bottom of the carbureter, where it would accumulate in considerable quantity, resulting.

Instead of will pass up throughthe carbureter in zigzag courses and practically traverse the entire space between the several shelves.

Fig. 11 of the drawings shows a modified form of a measuring-valve 79 intended to perform the same work as the valve 26. This valve is made up of the casing 80,which is cylindrical in form, inside of'which the pistons or plungers 82 and 83 are operably disposed and'mounted on the piston-rod'84, the upper end of which extends through the head 85 and is provided with the cross-head 86, by means of which it is connected with the parts which operate the valve. 87 represents a duct or passage formed in the'side of the casing 80 in the manner shown in the Fig. 11. The gasolene or oil enters the space between the pistons 82 and 83 by flowing through the pipe 88 and theport 89 near the upper end of casing 80 and fills said space while the pistons are in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 11. When the pistons are moved to the position shown by the dotted lines of the sarne figure, the gasolene oroil will fiow through the duct or by-passage 87 into the space below the piston 83 and thence downwardly through port 90 and tube 91 in the neck 92 of the carbureter and is discharged into the cup 93, which is similar in construction and purpose to the cup 67 described above. To get the oil into the carbureter, it must flow through the perforations 94, from which points it will drip down onto the shelves of the carbureter, and after that the oil will be treated in the same in anner as in the case heretofore explained.

To operate the gas-generator herein described after the same has been installed ready for use, a barrel or two of gasolene or like oil is placed in the supply-tank 27 and the cylinder 7 of the aerometer is raised to its highest position for the purpose of filling it .with a supply of air by means of thecrank 20, which operates the several sprocket wheels and chains, as described above. When these acts have been completed, the generator is ready to make and supply the gas to the house or store until the cylinder 7 has again settleddown to its lowest position in the water-filledpart 6. In common practice where my generator is installed in a dwellinghouse or like structure it will only require to be wound up about once a day, and as the supply of oil in the tank will last several days or weeks, owing to the amount of gas consumed, the plant will require little or no attention or care beyond the winding of the aerometer, as described.

Believing that the operation of my gasgenerator will be fully understood from the oregoing, further special explanation thereof is regarded as unnecessary.

It will be obvious to any one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in thedevice that I have shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not restrict myself to the precise construction herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I cla1m as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a gas-generator, the combination i with an aerometer and an air-sup ly pipe, of

a series of sprocket-wheels an sprocketchains in operative connection with said aerometer, a gasolene or oil tank, a carbureter, a pipe connecting the tank and carbureter, a valve interposed in the path of said pipe between said tank and said carbureter adapted to control the flow or passage of gasolene or oil from said tank to said carbureter, a shaft connected with said valve, a clutch mechanism mounted on said'shaft and 0peratively connected with said 's rocketwheels and said sprocket-chains to e ect the operation of said valve, and also the raising of said aerometer, substantially as described.

2: In a'gas generator, the combination with an aerometer and an airconducting pipe connected therewith, of a series of chains and sprockets operatively connected with said aerometer, a clutch mechanism connected with and adapted either to operate or to beoperated by said chains and sprockets, a shaft upon which said clutch mechanism is mounted, a valve operably connected with said shaft, a gasolene or oil tank, a feedpipe connecting said tank with said valve, a carbureter connected with said valve and also with said air-conducting pipe, and an escape-pipe adapted to conduct oilor liquid from said carbureter to said oil-tank, substantially as described.

3. In a gasgenerator of the class described, comprising an oil-tank, a carbureter,

a pipe connecting said tank and carbureter,

a valve inthe path of said pi e adapted to receive the oil from said tank and to discharge the same into said carbureter in alternating periods or moments, a shaft connected with said valve, a clutch carried by said shaft, an aerometer, a series of sprockets and chains connecting said clutch with the aerometer, a crank connected with one member of said clutch adapted when operated by hand to effect the raising of said aerometer, an air-pipe to conduct a supply of a r under pressure from. said aerometer to said car- ,ureter, a pipe leading from the carbureter to conduct a supply of combustible gas into abuilding, and a pipe adapted to conduct the oil from the carbureter back into the oiltank, substantially as described.

' 4. In a gas-generator, the combination with the aerometer .and an air-conducting pipe connected therewith, of a series of chain and sprocket gears operativelyconnected with the aerometer and adapted to be operated by hand to effect the raising of said aerometer, a clutch mechanism operatively connected with the aerometer, a shaft upon which said clutch mechanism is mounted, a fluid-measuring valve connected with said shaft adapted to be operated automatically by the gravitation of said. aerometer to control the passage of oil from a tank to a carbureter, an oil-tank, a gravity-feed pipe connecting said tank with said valve, a carbureter-disposed beneath said valve, a tube forming the passage for the oil from said valve to said carbureter, a perforated cup connecting with said tube, a gas-pipe, and an overflow-pipe, substantially as described.

5. In a gas -generater, the combination with the aerometer and an air-pipe, of a carbureter connected with said air-pipe, a valve disposed above and connected with said carbureter, an oil-tank above said valve, a feed pipe connecting said tank with said valve, a 85 shaft, a clutch mechanism connected with said shaft, and sprocket-and-chain gearing operatively connected with the aerometer and said valve and adapted for raising or settin said aerometer and also for operating said valve, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN C. SMITH.

Witnesses: I EDGAR O. BLOODLOUGH,

HARRY DE WALLACE. 

